15 Jahre Deutsche Einheit - German Reunification

October 3, 1990: - After more than 40 years, East and West Germany, which had been separated by different political systems in the aftermath of World War II, were peacefully reunited. The fall of the Berlin Wall was the symbol of the reunification of the two countries under a democratic system. On October 3, 1990, East Germany was dissolved and its citizens became citizens of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Excerpts from 'A Message from the President of the Federal Republic of Germany on the Day of German Unity 2005':

"On 3 October the Germans are celebrating the 15th anniversary of national unity in freedom. ... One and a half decades have passed and we have achieved much thanks to the drive and solidarity of Germans in east and west. ... There are new roads, railway lines and modern telecommunication networks. ... Internationally acclaimed centres for science and technology have sprung up. ... But we also know that many problems still remain to be solved. The most pressing is the problem of the millions of unemployed – in the new Länder but also all across . At the same time, we have to deal with the aging of our society. These are major tasks for policy-makers yet these tasks have been identified and the process of renewal has begun. ..."

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AMALGAMATED PERSPECTIVES Editorial Comment: - October 3, 2005. - Even after 15 years of efforts toward economic integration Germany has a long road to travel in mending the social polarization between East and West. To this day, the East is still unable to survive without government subsidies amounting to some €70 to €80 billion a year. Major long-term structural reforms are needed to bring about social, political and economic equalization. The concept of 'One Germany' is still far from having been made a reality in the lives of its population. -

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[See also: Bundestagswahl 2005 - Elections in Germany ]

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